Abbott and Davis' biggest campaign donors

Published 12:31 pm, Friday, August 1, 2014

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Harold Simmons

- $900,000

Simmons, a Dallas billionaire and philanthropist, was one of the most prolific donors to national conservative causes until his death in December. He controlled the state-regulated Waste Control Specialists, which operates a low-level radioactive waste facility in far West Texas.

Multimillionaire Peter Holt of Blanco owns the San Antonio Spurs and is CEO of Holt Cat, the largest Caterpillar dealer in the United States. He is a former Parks and Wildlife Commission appointee of Gov. Rick Perry.

Warren is a Dallas billionaire and founder of Energy Transfer Partners, one of the largest pipeline companies in America. He collects guitars, owns a music studio and is founder of the Cherokee Creek Music Festival.

Steele, an investor from Tyler, is chairman of American State Bank of Tyler and a local philanthropist. He contributed six figures to state Rep. Dan Branch’s unsuccessful campaign for attorney general and has given modestly to other Republican candidates.

Friedkin, a Houston billionaire, is chairman and CEO of Gulf States Toyota, one of only two independent distributors of new Toyota vehicles in the U.S. He is a big game hunter, aviation enthusiast, conservationist and a Texas Parks and Wildlife commissioner.

Born in Pakistan to a single mother with modest means, Anwar is a self-made oilman and CEO of Midland Energy Inc., and Petroplex Energy Inc. He has previously given generously to Gov. Rick Perry’s political endeavors.

Richie Ray is a compound pharmacist and CEO of Richie’s Specialty Pharmacy in Conroe. He has taken a keen interest in regulation of such facilities and has been active in political action committees supporting pharmacy interests.

A Houston billionaire and former Exxon executive, Hildebrand is founder and CEO of Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Corp. Perry appointed him to the UT System Board of Regents.

Jeffery Hildebrand

- $301,000

A Houston billionaire and former Exxon executive, Hildebrand is founder and CEO of Houston-based Hilcorp Energy Corp. Perry appointed him to the UT System Board of Regents.

Photo: Ricardo Brazziell, Associated Press

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James and Cherie Flores

- $300,000

Cherie Flores is pictured above. James Flores is CEO of Freeport-McMoRan Oil & Gas and former CEO of Plains Exploration & Production. He made a reported $147 million when Freeport-McMoRan, the mining company co-founded by Jim Bob Moffett, merged with Plains.

Former Obama operatives founded the group, whose voter registration and turnout operations benefit Davis and other Texas Democrats. The group shares proceeds with Davis from the Texas Victory Committee.

Oliver is an Austin doctor and philanthropist who also gave $1 million to Democratic turnout group Battleground Texas.

Carolyn Oliver

- $1 million

Oliver is an Austin doctor and philanthropist who also gave $1 million to Democratic turnout group Battleground Texas.

Photo: University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston

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Mostyn Law Firm

- $837,000

Steve Mostyn, with his wife Amber Anderson, is a wealthy Houston trial lawyer who specializes in hurricane damage lawsuits. He is considered the most prolific Texas Democratic donor and is a major financial supporter of Barack Obama, former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and national Democrats.

Patton is a Fort Worth native and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a rancher, an oil-and-gas investor and a former major supporter of Democratic candidate Bill White, who lost his gubernatorial bid in 2010. He has also given to Republicans.

Carvey is a Fort Worth philanthropist and arts enthusiast. She and her late husband, Frank Carvey, have been longtime supporters of Southwestern University in Georgetown.

Louise Carvey

- $240,000

Carvey is a Fort Worth philanthropist and arts enthusiast. She and her late husband, Frank Carvey, have been longtime supporters of Southwestern University in Georgetown.

Photo: Ron T. Ennis, Associated Press

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Lee and Amy Fikes

- $228,000

Lee Fikes is a Dallas oil investor and philanthropist and a major supporter of Planned Parenthood. He also leads the charitable Leland Fikes Foundation.

Lee and Amy Fikes

- $228,000

Lee Fikes is a Dallas oil investor and philanthropist and a major supporter of Planned Parenthood. He also leads the charitable Leland Fikes Foundation.

Photo: Deborah Cannon, Associated Press

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Planned Parenthood Votes

- $216,000

The New York-based political action committee is dedicated to electing candidates who support abortion rights.

Planned Parenthood Votes

- $216,000

The New York-based political action committee is dedicated to electing candidates who support abortion rights.

Photo: Billy Smith II, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Abbott and Davis' biggest campaign donors

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A year can fly by when you're raising millions of dollars, and that's what Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott and Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis — the major party candidates for Texas governor — have been doing since last summer.

Abbott launched his campaign on July 14 last year. Davis didn't make it official until Oct. 3, but for all practical purposes her campaign — particularly the financial component of it — began on June 25, the night she stopped (at least temporarily) a restrictive abortion bill during an hours-long filibuster on the Senate floor.

Their latest financial reports were turned in to the Texas Ethics Commission on July 15, and The Texas Tribune crunched the numbers, analyzed the data and researched the major donors to both candidates over the last year.